Are these hens being friendly or are they waiting for an opportunity?

[DottieMarie]

We have 4 new chicks (about 6 weeks) that I keep in a dog crate inside the main coop which houses 15 hens and 2 roos. We also have a 3 x 3 pen outdoors that I put the chicks in during the day so everyone can see each other. There are 3 or 4 hens that hang out next to the chick pen outdoors but I don't know if they want to be friends with chicks or just can't wait to peck them. Any ideas

 

[ranchhand]

I'd wait another week or two, give them time to grow. When I finally mix flocks, I do it at sundown, then get up at sunrise to supervise. It takes a week or two before they get used to each other, and supervision is necessary!

Sounds like you have the right approach.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Chickens always want to peck. i actually wait until new chicks are about the size of the existing flock before integrating. Prior to that, i put them in a pen next to or inside the current pen. Pecking always takes place, but you want the kids to be big enough to handle it.

 

[DottieMarie]

Ok, thanks! I've been letting them be near each other for a week but I'll wait it out. We have an adjoining pen next to this one for our meat birds. They'll be leaving us next week so I can give the new chicks this big pen for a while.
I was wondering about the 4 hens that keep hanging by the chicks, do you think they're trying to be friendly? Everyone else just ignores them.

 

[PhoenixRin]

They're probably curious about the new arrivals. If they are the Top Hens then they're probably waiting to put the new chicks in their pecking order to maintain their status. Sounds like highschool, doesn't it? That's kinda how it is XD

 

[hikerchick]

I haven't found my chickens to be particularly friendly with newcomers. I have introduced several brooder batches to my pen and while there is no fighting, the original groups tend to hang together. It seems to me that when chickens are brooded together, they tend to form a social group that has no need to introduce new members.

 

[DottieMarie]

It does sound like high school. Can't they all just get along

Thanks for all the input, I was hoping the hens were wanting to be friendly with the chicks but I'm betting PhoenixRin is closer to the real intent. I'll give it a couple more weeks and then see what happens.

 

[joanie_maine]

They won't get along no matter how old the chicks are.

Birds who live together from the start are "FLOCK"

Any birds addded are "NOT FLOCK".

Added birds must have size and a lot of room to get away.

Drawn blood will turn them into prey.

I know this all sounds mean, but chickens are animals and don't think like humans.

 

[sheeshshe]

I've tried putting mine to "play" together outside... the buff orpingtons actually take fine to them and have never pecked them they try and share food etc... but my cinnamon queens do peck at them... esp the queen of the flock. perhaps a lot of it has to do with breed as well??

 

[DottieMarie]

Wow, I didn't even think there was the possibility they'd "never" get along. I was hoping it would just take time and eventually they'd get it all figured out. I'll still keep my fingers crossed but will stay close by to avoid injuries. We also have a run for our meat birds, that just may become the newbies home....but I hope not.